A firefighter prepares to go to the site of Thursday’s plan crash where recovery operations are underway. / Margaret Croft/The News-Star

Written by

and Zack Southwell

Ouachita Sheriff Jay Russell said Friday “it could be a while, it could be days” to identify the bodies and even longer to determine the cause of a plane crash that killed four people Thursday.

Law enforcement officials are holding the perimeter while recovery efforts are underway at the site of the crash behind Ouachita Correctional Center in Richwood .

Witnesses on the scene say a truck was on site this morning to refuel ATVs used to go to the crash location which is said to be about 200 yards away from a command center established by emergency personnel on the corner of at the corner of Hammack and Shamlin streets in Richwood.

The National Transportation Safety Board, Federal Aviation Administration and the Ouachita Parish Coroner’s office are also at the site.

Four people died in the crash. Three of the believed victims – Dean Hart Sr., Max Larche and Don Thompson – were from northeastern Louisiana. The identity of the fourth victim has not been released.

Four were listed on the flight manifest. There were no survivors.

Return to thenewsstar.com for more on this developing story and pick up Saturday’s print edition